The Journey
by GodsGirl7
Summary: Sakura is a servant to King Syaoran. By a mysterious twist of fate, they find themselves traveling alone in a strange land. How did they end up there? Why? And will the cold Syaoran ever change?
1. Beginning

Chapter One  
  
The girl saw him sitting by the window again, staring outside with no expression. She stopped for a moment, wiping her hands, damp from filthy dishwater, on her dirty apron. He sat there every day, and no one bothered him. Of course not, he was the king, if title if nothing else. But it did not seem to bother him that his mother was the true ruler and he was a mere figurehead. It was as if he had not personality. Sakura could not remember if she had even heard him speak. Although it would not surprise her if she were to learn that he would never speak in front of a worthless servant like herself. She took a cautious step forward, eyes to the ground. "Master Li," she said quietly. He did not turn around, or even acknowledge that she had spoken. She had expected as much, and yet she was still disturbed by his coldness. She took a deep breath and continued. "The knights are waiting for you. You are to go with them to Rana by way of the Kyani Forest." Without looking at her, Syaoran stood up. It was as if he had planned to get up anyway and her being there was just a coincidence, Sakura thought. She took a step back, bowing deeply. "I am to accompany you, my lord." Syaoran nodded once and began to walk to the front of the castle. As he walked, Sakura several steps behind, she dared to glance up at him. He was not bad-looking, her Master Li. No! She, a mere servant girl, must not think such thoughts. It was not fitting. The castle is just like him, Sakura thought. Cold, emotionless, without personality. Silently observing. Always silent. Why, she wondered, is he like this? Look at his sisters, ever talking, laughing, playing, taking advantage of their positions as princesses. But Master Li is the king and he enjoys nothing.  
  
Before she knew it, they were outside in the bright early afternoon sunlight, walking across the vast lawn, beautifully kempt with trees strewn all around, their leaves just beginning to turn red and orange and yellow, a reminder that autumn was on its way. A cool, brisk breeze blew as Sakura followed Syaoran to the stable, tucked away at the edge of the lawn, right by the forest. She could already hear the clamor of the knights and their young apprentices that would accompany them. Sakura suddenly felt awkward. She would be the only girl on this trip. But it was unlikely that anyone would pay her any attention. With her short, dirty auburn hair, filthy body and ragged clothes, her only outstanding feature was her brilliant emerald-green eyes, always turned to the ground. She glanced again at Syaoran, the warm sunlight shining on his clean, chestnut-brown hair, ruffled by the gentle breeze. He wore no robe or crown; his dress did not betray his position. He wore simple white pants and a smooth green shirt. Sakura could not deny that he was handsome, with broad shoulders and strong arms. He was perfectly proportioned. But his light-brown eyes, which would have been beautiful, were sad, she thought, though she could not see them now. Sad to look at, rather. There was no emotion in them, just the coldness that defined the whole of his being. As they reached the stable, Sakura walked to Syaoran's horse, Karu. He was a beautiful while stallion with long mane and a lot of spirit. Only Syaoran could control him. Sakura saddled the horse cautiously, taking care not to disturb him. She then waked over to the plain brown mare she would be riding, Niya. Sakura smiled and stroked Niya's nose gently. She nibbled at Sakura's hair. Sakura giggled, and then began to load the minimal supplies she would be carrying onto the bags on either side of the saddle. As she worked, she listened to the knights' conversation, which was no longer so chaotic now that Syaoran was here. "We should make it to Rana by tomorrow," a rough, deep voice said. "That is, if the rebels don't stop us first," said a younger voice. Syaoran, Sakura realized. That was Syaoran's voice. The knights were all older than the seventeen-year-old king, and one of the young boys would dare to speak. "The rebels would never dare bother the king," said another voice. "You underestimate them," replied Syaoran. "They feel that they are being unfairly treated. All the peasants are unhappy, but these rebels are especially dangerous. What do you think happened to my father?" Silence descended as this sunk in. Syaoran finally broke the silence. "I hope you all have your swords," he said, "because we may need them. We must be especially cautious in Kyani Forest. As you all should know, it is very dense. The rebels could be surrounding us and we'd never know." "Maybe," the rough voice suggested, "you shouldn't go to Rana, Your Highness." "On the contrary," replied Syaoran. "I must go. The king of Rana will only talk to another king. Only with his help can we end the rebellion before anyone else is hurt." Anyone that's not a peasant, you mean, Sakura thought bitterly, because of course peasants don't matter. We're not human. She shook her head. Such foolish, pointless thoughts! She finished her work and stepped quietly back behind Syaoran. "We are ready, Master Li." He nodded without turning. Sakura realized that he expected her to bring him his horse. She quickly followed the squires back into the stables. After a moment they all returned, one by one bringing the horses to their respective masters, and then scrambling back for their own horses. Sakura paused a moment to stoke Niya's flank. "I'm glad you're coming with me," Sakura whispered. Soon everyone had mounted his horse and was ready. Sakura could hardly contain her excitement, and she struggled not to let it show. She had never left Kija before. Going to Rana, while a chore for Syaoran, was a once-in-a-lifetime chance for her to travel and see another kingdom. Her best friend, Tomoyo, another servant in the castle, was extremely jealous. "Bring me something back from Rana," she had said. "If I can't go I can at least see something from there." Her eyes had sparkled with excitement for Sakura. Syaoran, of course, was at the head of the group. "Let's go," he commanded, and began heading north, straight into the nearby Kyani Forest, away from the castle. Everyone followed, chattering amongst themselves, especially the squires, many of which knew each other. Sakura rode Niya in silence. None of the boys would want to talk to her, she already knew. She suddenly felt lonely. She wished Tomoyo could have come along. Without thinking, Sakura's hand went to her throat. She reached for the chain that held the small charm, a strange key, pink with tiny white wings. She had always had this key with her, though she did not know where it had come from. It was her good luck charm, and always a source of comfort when she was sad or afraid or lonely. They had been traveling for almost an hour when Sakura felt suddenly strange, as if someone was watching her. No, not really like that. Just that someone was there, or something. Sakura shook her head, confused, but she could not shake the strange sensation that someone or something was there. She looked around nervously, and then noticed that Syaoran was doing the same. Did he feel it too? The sensation left as quickly as it had come. Sakura shook her head again. Perhaps it had just been her imagination? She tried to convince herself of it, but could not. The memory nagged at the back of her mind. "How could I just feel that someone's there?" she whispered to herself. She tried to relax and forget about it, but could not. She reached for the key that was at her throat and was surprised to find it outside of her shirt. She always kept it under her shirt out of the fear that it would be taken from her. "I really am going crazy," she murmured, tucking it back under her shirt. The party continued on, and eventually Sakura relaxed, though the strange events still played insistently at the back of her mind.  
  
Author's Notes: Well, I finally started my second fic! If you haven't read my first one, please do. ^_^ Hopefully this one will be even better! I've got a vague idea for the plot. We'll see what happens. And if anyone's wondering if it's S+S, well, you'll just have to wait and see. ^_~ Please review- they make me write faster. Thanks for reading my fic! Ja ne! 


	2. The Dream

Chapter Two  
  
  
  
Sakura was about to fall asleep on her horse when Syaoran finally called out that they would set up camp nearby. It's about time, she thought, yawning. Though it was not exceptionally late, Sakura had risen earlier than normal that morning to prepare for the trip. The party dismounted in a small, rather secretive clearing as the last orange rays of sun vanished, leaving behind nothing but shadow. It was even darker in the clearing due to the exceptionally dense trees all around. For this reason, Syaoran's first order was for some of the squires to start a fire. Others began unpacking and preparing the evening meal of simple bread, dried meat, and water. Soon a bright fire crackled in the middle of the clearing, surrounded by all the men, eating rather sloppily, and Sakura, a bit farther back, nibbling quietly on a piece of bread. She was more tired than hungry, but she also felt uneasy. She tried to attribute her uneasiness to the fact that she was the only girl in a group of men on a dangerous journey through a dark, dense forest, but she knew, somehow, that it was something else. She felt strangely as if something were about to happen. Soon the men began to unpack blankets and lay down, so Sakura followed suit, distancing herself a bit, but not so far as to be unsafe, and was soon asleep.  
  
  
  
Sakura opened her eyes and looked around. The view took her breath away. She was on the edge of a cliff, looking down into a beautiful green valley with a clear, sparkling river running through. Sunlight warmed her pleasantly. When she looked to her left, she saw Syaoran, now wearing a simple white tunic. She looked down at herself and saw that she was dressed the same way. She looked back at Syaoran, who was now looking back at her. She was shocked to see him smiling at her, his normally icy cold amber eyes now warm and full of happiness. Then, behind Syaoran, she saw someone else. A boy, about her age, with short midnight blue hair and eyes framed by round wire-rimmed glasses. Though he was a good distance away, she heard his voice as if he were whispering in her ear.  
  
"Be prepared."  
  
Sakura suddenly sat up straight. She was back in the clearing. "It was just a dream..." she murmured. Everyone but her had been awake and was eating breakfast and preparing to leave. Sakura tried to push the dream out of her mind as she washed her face, brushed her hair, and ate a breakfast of the same bread, meat, and water as the night before. But the dream still nagged at the back of her mind.  
  
About ten minutes later, the party began traveling again. Sakura's mind wandered involuntarily back to her dream. Why would she have such a dream? What could it possibly mean? Why would Syaoran smile at her? Why were they wearing tunics? Where had they been? She had never seen such a place, save in the storybooks Tomoyo's kind mistress had given her. And who had the other boy been? What was she supposed to be prepared for?  
  
These thoughts still ran through her mind when she felt suddenly strange. It was the strange feeling she had had the day before, and she suddenly realized she had felt the same way in her dream. She subconsciously reached for the key at her neck. It was again outside her shirt, not the way she had left it. A chill ran down her spine. Then all at once a bright light blinded her. She gasped, holding tight to the key. The key began to glow pink, mixing with the bright white light. Then she heard the voice again, the voice from her dream.  
  
"The time has come. Be prepared. Use the key. With it you can unlock the staff, with which you will use the Clow Cards. You will find the cards soon. You will need them. Work with the other. Together, you will..."  
  
The voice faded. "What?" Sakura whispered. "Together, we will what?" But there was no answer. The light intensified until Sakura had to squeeze her eyes shut against it. When she opened them, there were no horses, no knights, no squires. The forest was gone. She was instead in a meadow, a clear stream running a few feet away. She realized that she had nothing but the key and the plain burlap dress she was wearing. Then she saw at her feet a book. It was strange, with a picture of some kind of a lion on the cover. She picked it up, running her hand over the red leather. Suddenly, without her touching it, the latch on the book came undone. Puzzled, she opened the book. "Cards?" she murmured. She wondered what they were for. She began to look at them. The Windy, The Fly, The Shadow. She looked at the spine of the book. It read "The Clow". So they were Clow Cards, just like the voice had told her.  
  
"What's going on?" a voice suddenly demanded. Sakura slammed the book shut and whirled around to see Syaoran standing there. She bowed. "I don't know," she whispered, looking at the ground.  
  
When she dared to look up, Syaoran was pacing, frustrated, muttering to himself. After a moment, he faced Sakura. "There's no use staying here. Take a drink and let's leave. We'll head north." He pointed along the creek, across the meadow, towards mountains Sakura had not previously noticed. "If we follow the creek, we're sure to find a settlement eventually. Then we can hopefully find out where we are. Let's go."  
  
Sakura knelt quickly by the stream, cupped her hands, and drank. The water was delicious. But Syaoran was already walking away, so she hurriedly stood back up and followed, but not before grabbing the Clow Book. The voice had told her it was important, and she had no reason to believe otherwise. She somehow knew that the boy whose voice she had heard had done this, somehow transported her and Syaoran to this place. He had given her these cards. But why, and how, she had not the slightest idea.  
  
  
  
Author's notes: I know! Finally, I come out with chapter two. Hopefully I won't procrastinate so much anymore. I hope you like this chapter. Do you think I should include Kero in this fic? My original plan was to have Sakura and Syaoran the only ones traveling together. What do you think? And yes, that was a hint of S+S. But it'll be a while before that really comes into play. Syaoran still looks at Sakura as a slave. So, what do you think? Should I write a longer chapter next time? If I do, it will take more time for me to update my fic. Is that OK? Tell me your opinions. Feel free to e-mail me- I love getting e-mails! And let me know if you want me to e-mail you when I update. Thanks! Ja ne! 


	3. The First Test

Chapter 3  
  
Syaoran did not speak a word to Sakura until it was almost nightfall. "We'll camp here," he declared, seeming to forget that he was leading only one person. They stopped under the shelter of a huge tree with leaves unlike anything Sakura had ever seen. While Syaoran stood silently, Sakura built a fire, struggling due to her unfamiliarity with the job. Fires were not allowed to go out in the castle, even during the night. After she was relatively certain the fire would not go out, she left to a nearby forest to look for more firewood and also for something to eat, as directed by Syaoran. Tears stung at her eyes. "Even now, while we're in this strange place all alone, I'm nothing more than a servant."  
  
Sakura had never before realized how much she hated being a servant. She had kept all her emotions in check for so long, knowing that change was hopeless. But now, in this strange, new environment, alone with the king, she longed for more, maybe a little bit more respect. Though it did not make sense, when she thought about it, that she should expect Syaoran to change his attitude about her. He hardly knew her, after all, had only seen her around the castle; she was a servant, even here and now, and he was the king. She sighed, still not satisfied, but knowing that she could do nothing to change things.  
  
With a pile of firewood nearby and stomachs full of wild raspberries Sakura had found, she and Syaoran slept by the fire. After a time, however, Sakura suddenly awoke. The fire had diminished to some glowing coals. She tried to look around to see what had awakened her, but the surrounding darkness was complete, save for the stars, a sliver of moon, and the remnants of the fire. Now wide awake, Sakura stood up. She reached for the Clow Book without knowing why. Then she felt it, the way she had felt something before, but a different feeling. There was something nearby.  
  
She walked over and knelt by Syaoran. "Wake up, Master Syaoran," she whispered. "Something's here."  
  
Syaoran rolled over, away from her. "I didn't hear anything or I would have--" Suddenly he quieted, standing up. "Do you feel that?"  
  
She did. And, apparently, so did Syaoran. So she was not the only one with these strange feelings.  
  
"This way," Syaoran stated, and began walking toward the forest, away from the creek.  
  
"Wait," Sakura replied nervously. "Do you really think we should--?"  
  
The glare Syaoran shot at her, daring her to defy him, silenced her instantly. Face burning, she followed him silently, still clutching the Book of Clow, feeling increasingly uneasy as they walked into the darkness of the forest, closer to whatever it was they were sensing.  
  
After a few minutes of walking, all traces of light from the fire were gone. Syaoran paused, murmured, and suddenly a small flame lit on a strange-looking piece of yellow paper he held. Sakura stared, eyes wide. Magic?  
  
As they continued walking, her mind raced. Syaoran could do magic. Magic was real, it must be, she had seen it with her own eyes. Magic must also be what had brought them to this place. The blue-haired boy, then, also knew magic, used it to talk to Sakura. He must have been the one to send them here with his magic. But why would he do that? And her necklace- the key- and these strange cards, did they also possess magic? But Sakura knew no magic. Until this moment, she had not known even that magic existed!  
  
So lost was she in her thoughts that she nearly ran into Syaoran when he stopped walking. "It's here," he said under his breath, as if to himself.  
  
  
  
Sakura paused, concentrated. Yes, it was here, whatever "it" was. She could sense it, sense its- magic. Yes, that's what it was. Could everyone sense magic? It must be so, she reasoned, for I know no magic. She wondered why she had never encountered it before, if the king himself knew magic.  
  
They waited in the darkness, silent but for the pounding of Sakura's heart, deafening in her ears. She had never been so afraid. What did Syaoran expect her to do? Fight this magic? But she had no means to fight anything! What would happen to her?  
  
After a moment of tense silence, Syaoran's little fire suddenly went out. Sakura fought the urge to scream. She heard Syaoran muttering again; then she saw the blade of a sword glinting in the moonlight. Magic again.  
  
Then, all at once, a bright light lit the area as if it were day. Syaoran tensed. Sakura whimpered involuntarily, hugging the Clow Book to her chest tightly. The light dimmed, but something now stood before them, glowing.  
  
It appeared to be some kind of massive cat. It had to be at least twice as tall as Syaoran, even on all fours, Sakura thought, and Syaoran was at least six feet tall. It glowed a strange, eerie blue. Its ears were longer and thinner than those of a normal cat, but other than that, it bore a very strong resemblance to an ordinary house cat. That was, until it opened its eyes, which were massive, taking up half its face with a strangely beautiful metallic lavender. Then she noticed massive, sharp claws on each paw. Then, very suddenly, she saw that, at the end of its tail, there was a scythe-like blade.  
  
Everything began to happen in slow motion. Syaoran stood his ground, holding a defensive stance with his sword. The cat glanced at him momentarily before looking at Sakura. The beast made eye contact with her, and she felt herself strangely unable to look away. She was terrified, shaking so violently that she fell to her knees, still unable to look away from the cat's metallic lavender eyes. She noted in the back of her mind that its eyes had no pupils. This strange, magical beast... why was it here?  
  
All this passed in the course of a few seconds. She was suddenly able to look away; she found herself staring at the sharp, shining blade at the end of the beast's tail. Before she realized what was happening, the beast twitched its tail, and the scythe headed straight toward Sakura.  
  
  
  
Author's Notes: Am I evil or what? What a mean cliffhanger! But don't worry; it's actually a good thing. It gives me someplace to start with the next chapter. Thanks so much for your comments and suggestions! They were very helpful. I love suggestions, though I don't guarantee I'll use them, but they do sometimes give me ideas. ^_^ so you have to review! The more reviews I get, the guiltier I feel, the faster I come out with the next chapter. Thanks for reading! Ja ne! 


	4. Magic In The Air

Chapter 4  
  
In that same instant, Syaoran lunged at the cat-beast. The scythe jerked away, dug into the ground only inches to the right of Sakura. She screamed and scrambled away, managing to climb to her feet.  
  
She reached for the key at her neck, pulled it off its chain, and held it in the open palm of her right hand. Not knowing where the words came from, she began to chant, and the key began to glow.  
  
"Key that hides the forces of darkness, reveal thy true from before me. I, Sakura, command thee under the contract. Release the seal!"  
  
A strange wind began to blow, drowning out the sound of the beast's hissing. Sakura could barely hear Syaoran yell, "You know MAGIC?!"  
  
The key lifted off her palm, glowing a brilliant pink. It began to spin in the air, slowly at first, then faster and faster until Sakura realized that it was growing, elongating, and yet keeping the same design of her key. Following a strange instinct, she grabbed the pink staff that now floated in the air before her. The wind and the glowing ceased. She looked at the staff, then glanced at the beast, then at Syaoran, who lay on the ground. The cat-beast must have thrown him there after he lunged at it. She looked back at the beast.  
  
It was preparing to attack again!  
  
On the same instinct that had caused Sakura to release the staff, she reached into the Clow Book and pulled out a card, somehow knowing what card it was before she even looked at it.  
  
She threw the card into the air and touched it with the tip of her staff. "Windy! Become a chain and bind the beast! Release!"  
  
The card glowed, and magical wind blew. Suddenly, from the card that floated in midair, a strange spirit-like creature emerged, resembling a woman, only white, glowing, and rather wispy, Sakura thought. The woman flew toward the cat-beast, then in circles around it, faster and faster until she was a blur. The wind she created effectively bound the beast. It cried out but could not move.  
  
Syaoran, seeing his chance, picked himself up from the ground and ran at the beast. His sword penetrated the beast's chest. It screamed, then seemed to dissolve until nothing was left. The spirit of the Windy card became a card again and flew into Sakura's hand. She stared at it, the same image, peacefully resting in the card.  
  
How on Earth did I do that?  
  
Syaoran turned to her. "Why didn't you tell me you knew magic!" He looked... angry, Sakura thought. Not relieved or glad...  
  
"Forget it," he snapped. "Let's go back and rest so we can keep going tomorrow."  
  
Sakura nodded dumbly and mechanically followed Syaoran back to the place they had set up camp.  
  
  
  
For the next several days, Sakura and Syaoran walked in silence through the never-changing landscape. There were ever trees on their left, the stream and valley to their right, and mountains ahead. The occasional birdcall could be heard; other than that, only the sound of Sakura and Syaoran's footsteps broke the silence.  
  
Sakura could only guess at what Syaoran was thinking. He never spoke save to give her an order, usually when they stopped to rest right before the darkness became complete, or when it was time to continue as the first rays of sunshine pierced the darkness. And even then he had hardly looked at her. He acted as if nothing had happened. All traces of the emotion he had displayed when the beast had attacked them- his shock, his apparent anger- were gone.  
  
This surprised Sakura. She had thought that he would demand more information about her magic, but he did not. She was relieved; she would not have been able to answer any of his questions, and that certainly would have made him angry.  
  
Though she wished she had answers.  
  
It was impossible for her to simply know those chants she had used to release her staff and the Windy Card, and yet she had known them. The words had come on their own. Using the magic seemed somehow... familiar. No, not really familiar, she thought. Comfortable. Natural. The warm feeling of the magic running through her had been exhilarating and wonderful. She had felt confident and powerful for the first time in her life. And it felt very right, as if she had found a necessary part of herself. She knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that the Clow Cards and the power they contained belonged to her, were under her control.  
  
But somehow this new confidence did not visibly translate itself into her relationship, or lack thereof, with Syaoran. She found herself still mindlessly following his orders. However, she began defying him in small ways, such as gathering only a little firewood so that he lost his patience and went to get more himself. Other times she would pretend to be asleep long after she awoke, forcing him to wake her instead of vice versa. Never before would she have dared to do such things.  
  
One such night, when they stopped to rest, it was very windy. Sakura used this to pretend not to hear Syaoran's orders over the sound of the wind in the trees. He became frustrated and did the work himself. Sakura suppressed a smile. She enjoyed this small power she had.  
  
Finally, they lay down to sleep. Syaoran had given up on starting a fire; every time he created a spark, the wind immediately blew it out. Sakura shivered under her thin blanket, staring at the sky. She could see no stars; it must be very cloudy. She wondered briefly if there was a storm coming; she then drifted off to sleep.  
  
  
  
Author's Notes: Okay, I finally updated! Sorry it took so long. This chapter seems kinda short to me... I hope you guys like it. Things should start getting interesting from here on out... ^_~ Thanks so much to all of you who reviewed! Your encouragement means so much to me. I don't know how long chapter 5 will take, so I make no promises. Hopefully not too long, ne? Feel free to e-mail me, and of course, please please PLEASE review! Ja ne! 


	5. Storm

Chapter 5  
  
Sakura suddenly awoke. She looked around, puzzled. What had woken her? Then she heard thunder roll in the distance. It must have been the lightning, she reasoned.  
  
She knew she would not be able to sleep through a thunderstorm, so she sat up. Lightning flashed again, giving her a glimpse of Syaoran, also sitting up, looking to the sky. "A storm's coming," he said quietly, as if to himself. Then thunder rolled again.  
  
All at once the heavens opened up and dumped rain in great, powerful sheets of water upon the earth. Sakura yelped and grabbed her blanket, wrapping it around herself. She had seen heavy rain before, of course, but never like this. The drops were so huge and falling so quickly that they actually hurt when they hit her. She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, still clinging to the blanket, even though it was so thin and drenched that it now served no real purpose.  
  
The lightning began to flash more and more frequently, and the thunder became louder, sooner after the lightning. The storm was getting closer.  
  
Sakura began to whimper. She was freezing; the fierce wind that had been blowing all night was howling now. In an especially strong gust her blanket was wrenched from her fingers. She knew it was unlikely that she would ever see it again. Feeling like a child, she began to cry, terrified.  
  
Suddenly, over the ruckus of the wind and the rain and the thunder, she faintly heard Syaoran's voice. "We've got to get to higher ground. The stream is flooding!"  
  
Sakura stumbled to her feet. She looked in the direction of the stream. When the lightning flashed, she could see that the calm, serene stream had transformed into a raging river. Fear gripped her heart. Syaoran was right. The water would reach them before long, and they'd be swept in by the swift current... And yet she found herself unable to move, maybe because of the cold, the terror, or the fact that all was dark save when the lightning flashed. Whatever the reason, she was frozen, her feet rooted on the spot upon which she stood.  
  
"Come on!" Syaoran's voice reached her ears, impatient, frustrated. Sakura opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out.  
  
Suddenly she felt a hand grab her wrist and drag her roughly away from the stream. "Why wouldn't you come!" Syaoran yelled. Sakura could not find her voice. She could hardly convince herself to put one foot in front of the other.  
  
Syaoran went slowly, occasionally tripping, stumbling through deep puddles, rain pounding down on them both. In flashes of lightning Sakura cold see his left arm out in front, feeling for objects in his path. His right hand still gripped her wrist. Sakura glanced behind her and was terrified to see that the water was getting closer. She whimpered, closing her eyes against the howling wind and fierce rain.  
  
Sakura had no idea how much time had passed when she heard Syaoran yell, "There's a town ahead!" Sakura opened her eyes and saw light not far ahead. Yes. A town. She glanced back again and could see the water at a distance behind them. She vaguely remembered staggering uphill. They would be safe here.  
  
No longer driven by intense fear, Sakura was overwhelmed by exhaustion. She closed her eyes and surrendered to it.  
  
  
  
When Sakura awoke, she was uncertain of where she was. At first she could not recall what had happened. But she opened her eyes and saw that she was in a bedroom, bright afternoon sunlight streaming in through the window on her right, she remembered.  
  
This must be the town that we saw, Sakura thought. After I passed out, someone must have brought me here. But... She was alone. Where was Syaoran?  
  
Sakura sat up and looked around the relatively small room. It was simple, with a nightstand to the left of the bed and a dresser across the room. The door, next to the dresser, was closed.  
  
Sakura stood up, pushing off the soft, warm covers. She looked down and saw that she was wearing loose cotton pajamas. She marveled at them. Cotton was a luxury unheard of to servants such as herself. Everything she owned- the two simple dresses she had made herself- was burlap.  
  
Sakura wandered over to the dresser and opened the top drawer. It was filled with undergarments. The next drawer contained neatly folded dresses. The next had shirts on the left and trousers on the right- boys' clothes. The last drawer was considerably deeper. It contained shoes.  
  
Suddenly the door opened. Sakura jumped, quickly shutting the drawer of shoes and straightening to face a young woman.  
  
She looked to be in her early twenties. She had long, wheat-blonde hair partially tied back. Her eyes sparkled a grayish blue. She was rather tall, and extraordinarily beautiful. She wore a lightweight beige cotton dress that hung to her ankles. She smiled warmly at Sakura.  
  
"Go ahead. Choose what you would like to wear. You're my guest."  
  
Sakura stared, then bowed humbly. "I'm sorry," she murmured, "but I'm not worthy to-"  
  
"Nonsense," the woman said offhandedly, opening the drawer with the dresses. "This should fit you beautifully," she said brightly. "Now hurry up and change. It's almost time for lunch. You slept right through breakfast, you know." The woman smiled again. "Oh, and by the way, my name is Hidochi." Then she ducked out of the room shutting the door behind her.  
  
Sakura quickly changed into the yellow dress. She pulled a pair of white sandals from the bottom drawer. She then picked up a hairbrush from the top of the dresser and brushed her hair, something she had very rarely been able to do save with her own fingers. She did not own a hairbrush.  
  
She looked down at herself. Never had she been so nicely dressed. She felt like a princess. It was strange, uncomfortable in a way, but something she certainly could become accustomed to. She smiled to herself and left the room.  
  
Sakura walked down a short hallway with one door beside hers on the left and two on the right. At the end of the hallway was a large room. A giant black kettle sat over a warm fire in the hearth, and a wonderful smell reached Sakura's nose. It must be some kind of soup, she thought. There was a small round table in the center of the room with four chairs around it. Syaoran, wearing loose beige pants and a light red shirt, sat in one of the chairs, dunking a piece of bread into a bowl of soup. Hidochi sat across from him, watching him eat with a smile on her face. Then she noticed Sakura, standing in the hallway. "Hello," she said warmly. "Come, please sit. Have some soup."  
  
Sakura sat and gratefully ate the soup and bread Hidochi gave her. It was wonderful. Sakura was only able to eat such delicious food if one of the more daring servants, such as her friend Yamazaki, stole some from the kitchen and shared with the others. She felt even more like a princess now. Never had she been treated so well.  
  
After Sakura and Syaoran had had their fill of soup and bread, Hidochi folded her hands under her chin and looked at them curiously. "Now that you're rested and fed, I'd love to know your story. We haven't had guests other than traders here in Tamiya for generations, being such a small, isolated town. So do tell."  
  
Sakura remained silent, knowing that it was Syaoran's place, not hers, to speak now. Syaoran hesitated, then claimed that his mother had sent him on an errand to his uncle's village and had given him this servant girl to accompany him, but they had lost their way in the storm and ended up here. Hidochi nodded sympathetically. "I wish I could help you, but I've never been far from Tamiya. I don't know where any other villages are." Sakura noticed that Syaoran looked relieved not to have to further complicate his tale. "I am told that following the river leads to other towns. That's the best advice I can give you. But..." She hesitated.  
  
"But what?" Syaoran prompted impatiently.  
  
"It is dangerous to leave the village these days," she whispered, "especially by way of the river. Few traders have reached our village in the past few years, and those that have speak of terrible things, gruesome human remains..." She paused, shuddered, fear written on her face. "You must not go that way."  
  
"Is there a way to go back the way we came and find another route?" asked Syaoran.  
  
"No," Hidochi replied quietly. "I know you haven't seen yet but this village has steep cliffs on either side. The mountains are just north of here. And the only path north..." She whispered again, as if fearful to say such things aloud. "The only path north is the path the traders use. To the south, there is nothing but the forest and valley. They say that the path was built centuries ago as the only way through the mountains. To go around would take longer than anyone knows- some say the mountains stretch across the entire continent."  
  
"So this path is extremely dangerous?" Syaoran asked inquisitively.  
  
"Yes. Only the braves, strongest men survived, and they were not in good shape when they arrived here." Her eyes flicked toward Sakura. "Never a woman."  
  
"So, what then?" Sakura asked very quietly. Syaoran turned to stare at her, as if shocked that she would dare speak. "Are we trapped here?"  
  
"I would say so," Hidochi replied softly. 


	6. Mr Kensuke

Chapter 6  
  
"There must be a way," Syaoran mumbled. "We can't be stuck here. There has to be a way."  
  
"Well, maybe you could-" Hidochi began, then stopped.  
  
Syaoran turned his fierce gaze upon her. "What?"  
  
"Nothing," Hidochi said nervously, looking as if she wished she had remained silent. "I said nothing."  
  
Syaoran's eyes narrowed. "You started to say something. What was it?"  
  
"Nothing. I-"  
  
"WHAT WAS IT?!"  
  
"I- It's too dangerous, it's foolish really-"  
  
"Well, if you don't tell me, my only option will be for me to take this girl and follow the path, using only my sword to protect me."  
  
Hidochi's eyes widened. "You can't! You'll die!"  
  
"Then tell me the alternative," Syaoran hissed through his teeth.  
  
Hidochi sighed, defeated. "There is... a boat. Traveling on the water is the only way the traders made it through. But it's still very dangerous, and you'll be paddling upstream, and-"  
  
"How do we get this boat?" Syaoran demanded.  
  
"Only the lord has a boat-"  
  
"The lord?"  
  
Hidochi sighed again. "Tamiya is too small to be a kingdom, but it is large enough to be a manor. Mr. Kensuke treats us well, gives us nice homes, but only in exchange for the best of work. I am his seamstress-"  
  
"Get to the point," Syaoran snapped.  
  
Hidochi looked a bit taken aback at Syaoran's rudeness. "He gives nothing freely."  
  
"So what would we have to do to get this boat?"  
  
"You must work for it, of course. You must have a skill that is useful to him and use it well, and then, after a time, perhaps you could use his boat."  
  
"How long?"  
  
"I don't know-"  
  
"Guess," Syaoran growled.  
  
"Months, maybe years..."  
  
Syaoran slammed his fist violently on the table, causing Sakura to jump and all the dishes to rattle. He then leaned back in his chair with an exasperated sigh. "I don't want to be stuck here that long. I'm no slave- "  
  
Sakura felt sudden anger rising in her. She struggled to hold it back- until a though crossed her mind. They were far from home, far from any punishment Syaoran could give. He had no power here. He could do nothing to stop her if she chose to speak freely. She allowed her frustration to break the surface.  
  
"Have you no patience?" she snapped. "This is our only option. And it wouldn't hurt you any to work for once in your life instead of having women and children do all your work for you." She glared at him in disgust, feeling a strange sensation of power. "Perhaps for once you can know how it feels. And perhaps you could learn some manners as well. You've returned Hidochi's kindness with nothing but rudeness. You should be ashamed of yourself."  
  
Breathing hard, shaking, heart pounding, Sakura fell into silence, unable to believe what she had just done. Judging by the looks of shock upon Hidochi's and especially Syaoran's faces, they could not believe it either. Syaoran opened his mouth as if to speak and then closed it again.  
  
After what seemed to Sakura like an eternity, Hidochi managed to break through the almost tangible tension. She tentatively suggested, "Perhaps you would like to meet Mr. Kensuke."  
  
Syaoran nodded. "Yes. Take us to him."  
  
Hidochi stood up and cleared the table quickly, then walked out the door, Sakura and Syaoran following. Sakura stole a glance at Syaoran as they walked down the dusty road with small houses scattered along either side. He was staring at the ground in front of his feet, his expression unreadable. He did not seem angry, as Sakura had expected after her outburst. She wondered about his thoughts.  
  
After about twenty minutes of walking in silence, Hidochi stopped. Sakura looked up to see a castle, much smaller than Syaoran's, but very beautiful. The cut of the stone, the trees and bushes all around, created about the place an almost magical atmosphere that Sakura could not explain.  
  
"I'm sorry," Hidochi said, "but I must leave you now. I have work to do." She smiled. "Feel free to come back if you need anything."  
  
Syaoran nodded, and Hidochi left.  
  
For several minutes neither Sakura nor Syaoran moved. Sakura waited uneasily for Syaoran to make a move toward the castle's vast entrance. She heard him sigh, then finally take a step forward, then another, walking along a narrow dirt path toward the castle door.  
  
There was no real door, only an entrance, little more than a rectangular hole in the stone, but with an elaborate statue of an angel on either side, and beautiful red draperies with golden trim framing the doorway.  
  
They entered into a massive room. Sakura realized that the entire downstairs consisted of this room. There was an ornate spiral staircase in each corner, leading to whatever rooms lay above. The room was decorated with fine shining suits of armor along the walls and many beautiful tapestries of all colors and sizes. There were many long, wooden tables filling most of the room. Then Sakura noticed a door to the left. It must lead to the kitchen. This, then, was the dining room. Also a meeting room, most likely.  
  
To the right, a bright, cheery fire warmed the room. And straight ahead was a throne, simple yet elegant in its design. Sitting on the throne was a man that Sakura knew must be Mr. Kensuke.  
  
She was surprised at his youth. He could not have been more than a few years older than Sakura, who was seventeen. And he was very good-looking, with somewhat short brown hair, bright blue eyes, tan skin, and a muscular frame. He smiled when he saw Sakura and Syaoran walking hesitantly into the room. "Hello! Welcome! Come in! What is it that you need?"  
  
Syaoran looked uncertain, but Sakura, having been a servant her whole life, knew exactly what to do. She walked up and knelt before his throne. Syaoran awkwardly followed suit.  
  
"Kind sir," Sakura said softly, looking at the floor, "we have heard that you own a boat. We have come to request use of it. We will be willing to work for you in exchange for its use."  
  
"Indeed," Mr. Kensuke said with interest. "Please, stand."  
  
Sakura and Syaoran stood. Sakura felt awkward, noticing Mr. Kensuke's eyes on her, sizing her up. "Do you have any... special skills? Anything unique that could be useful to me?"  
  
"I have had much experience with cooking, cleaning, and other such things," Sakura said.  
  
"I see," Mr. Kensuke replied thoughtfully. "You, then, young lady, can be my personal servant."  
  
Sakura did not like the way the man was looking at her. His eyes wandered all over her body. She was thankful that the dress was loose and did not show off her figure.  
  
"And me?" Syaoran said suddenly, impatiently.  
  
Mr. Kensuke, to Sakura's relief, tore his eyes reluctantly from her body. "Do you have any special skills that I can use?"  
  
"I have been through intensive physical training," Syaoran replied.  
  
"I see," Mr. Kensuke replied, thinking. "Ah. I have the perfect job for you, then. We have an early harvest. I could certainly use your help." Syaoran nodded.  
  
"Well then." Mr. Kensuke folded his hands. "I am curious why it is that you want to use my boat."  
  
Sakura glanced at Syaoran, who nodded slightly. "We've heard that the river is the only way to get out of town," he said.  
  
"I see. So you are trying to pass through." Syaoran nodded.  
  
Mr. Kensuke laughed. "It's your neck. But if you really want the boat, you have to earn it."  
  
Syaoran narrowed his eyes. "How long will that take?"  
  
"Until I decide that it's enough," he said airily, his eyes wandering back to Sakura. "I might enjoy your stay here."  
  
  
  
That night, Sakura lay in her new bed, staring at the ceiling. It was not nearly as comfortable as Hidochi's house, but it was very nice compared to her old bed back in Kija. She heard Syaoran's soft breathing and was relieved once again that Mr. Kensuke had allowed her to stay with Syaoran instead of with him. She had claimed to be his sister and did not want to be far from him, when in reality she was afraid of being left alone with the man.  
  
Sakura rolled onto her side to look at Syaoran. She smiled. His face was so calm and sweet in his sleep, all traces of his usual scowl gone. Sakura wondered what Syaoran would be like if he would open up to her. She rolled onto her back again and closed her eyes, wondering, imagining what her new life would bring.  
  
  
  
  
  
Author's Notes: Wow, I finally got this chapter out. Sorry it took so long... I'm getting bad about how often I update. Sorry guys. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter. Tell me what you think! Review! Give me your thoughts, ideas, whatever. And feel free to e-mail me. Your guys' e-mails generally guilt me into writing faster. So yeah. Hope you're enjoying my fic! Ja ne! 


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